Vehicle surface signal



'C. A. CHAPEL VEHICLE SURFACE SIGNAL Sept. 14 1926. 1,599,986

Filed July 17 1925 Patented 14, 1926.

CHARLES A. CHAPEL, OF ENID, OKLAHOMA.

VEI-ICLE SURFACE SIGNAL.

Application filed July 17, 1825. Serial No. 44,322.

The present invention relates to vehiclev and like signals, and has for an object certain detail improvements in the structure of the device disclosed in my 1Batent Number 1,526,742, granted February 17, 1925.

More specifically, the object of the invention embraces a more solid support for the rocking or lowering member which insures the normal up 1ight position of the sign; the novelanounting of the casing or body part in the roadway so that it may be re moved from time to tine to effect adjustment and repair of the parts of the signal, and a novel structure and arrangement of the tension means for direct action upon the rolling member to normally maintain it in correct position.

Another object of the invention is to providea tiltable or rocking sign which may be mounted directly in the roadway and which is of novel and simple construction admitting of compactness and accessibility to the parts, and in providing` a novel structure which maybe easily and economically manufactured and assembled.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more particularly brought out in the following detailed description thereof, and from the present illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein VFig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through a vehicle .signal constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken axially at right angles to Fig. l, the full lines showing the sign in normal upright position and the dotted lines showing the sign partially tilted.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the signal embedded in the roadway,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken through the vehicle signal on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing 10 designates a casing or body part adapted to bevsunlf. in the roadway 11 and which is screw threaded at its lower end into the upsta-ndingflange 12 of an anchoring plate 13. 1n mounting the signal in the roadway the base plate 13 and the casing 10 may first be assembled and embedded in the roadway so that base plate 13 serves as an anchor to firmly hold the casing 10 from being lifted out of the ground by vibration and pressure on the upper end of the signal.

Seated in the upper end of the casing 10 is a rocking member 14 which may be in the form of a ball adapted to close the top of the casing and project part way into and part way above the mouth of the casing. This rocking member is supported upon a pair of trunnions 15 which project diametrically from the opposite sides of the rocking member 14 and engage upon the upper edge of the casing 10. The lower faces of the trunnions 15 are flattened so as to lie against the upper edge of the casing and determine an upright position for the rocking member 14. These flat faces of `the trunnions 15 also serve to yieldingly maintain the rocl lng member in an upright position- A sign or signal arm 16 preferably comprising a flat board or disk of suitable material is seated in a transverse slot formed in the upper portion of the rocking member and preferably in the plane of the trunnions 1o so that when the rocking member 14 is turned upon the trunnions 15, the sign or arm ,16 is tilted either forwardly or bachwa-rdly.

Novel means is provided for yieldingly drawing the rocking member 14 into` the upper end ofthe casing 10, and for thus yieldingly holding the fiat faces of the trunnions against the upper edge of the casing. This means comprises a bolt 17 which is provided on its upper end with a flat tongue 18 fitting into a slot 19 formed cross wise in the lower part of the rocking member 14. The slot 19 extends entirely through the lower part of the rocking member and lies in a plane at right angles to that of the trunnions 15 and sign 16. The tongue 18 is apertured in its ripper end and a cross pin 20 is fitted through the lower portion of the rocking member 14 and through the tongue to pivotally connect the saine in the slot of the rocking member. The pin 20 lies in the plane of the sign 16 and the trunnions 15. The bolt 17 carries a helical spring 21 which is seated at its lower end against a nut 22 adjustably threaded upon the lower end of the bolt 17 to urge the spring upwardly against a washer 23 which surrounds the bolt 17 and has a relatively large opening 24 therethrough to permit the bolt a free play incident to the movements of the rocking member 14.

CTI

In order to exert a counter or doi'vnward pressure on the spring 21, the easing l0 is provided sith a pair ol" stop pins which project in\".ardly frein the wall olf the easing l0 ahove the washer 9.3 to hold the saine frein moving upwardly. The nut E l therefore tene-'ions the spring 2l and transinits the pressure oi the spring to the holt li' to urge the saine drnvnwardly at all times.

ln operation, the signal i.; norinally in the po ion shown in ligs. and 3, and when strueh hy a vehicle 's lied in the direction sh wn hy the dotted lines in Fig. il so as lo turn the rocking ine i ll on its trunnions l5, raising the trunnions on edge and eontraeting the spring 2l. ,als soon the tilting pressure is rela l sign 1G, the spring 2l draws the trunuions downwardly into norinal position and exerts a pressure to hold the lint faces or the 'trilinnions Flat inst the top edge oit the er l0. r1he roeliing ineinher and the '.j

thus quielily brought into a pesitiin and are eil'eetively held in uprigh.` oo-irl ion. As the washer has arelatively large opening 2l the upper end of the h l" l'i" may freely nieve on its pivot 20 as the rrglging nieinher is turned, and the wwasher 9.3 and spring 2l are Vfree to turn i "he e: sing helow the stop pins 25 so that su sign 1G he struck at one edge the wher with the roeliing ineinher are upon and within the uppe end of the easing 10.

It will be noted that the tension means is entirely mounted upon and suspended by the rocking nieinher l-l so that the latter may turn and assunie diilerent positions axially ol' the Casingl l0. The stop pins inerely hear against the upper side oit the dish 23 and are unattadled Vith respect to the saine.

*Vhen it is ldesired to adjust the tension olf the spring 2l, it is only neces-sary to unserew the easing l0 vl'roin Vthe anchoring liange 12 and withdraw the easiiig. Aeeess inayVv then he had 'to vthe nut through the lower open end oi the easing. rllhe easing may then he easily replaced by screwing it hael; into the anehoring iiange.

lt is ot Course understood that various Changes and inodiiieartions in the details ot design and Construction inay he inade in the above speeilieally deserihed ernhodiinent ot this invention, without departing ifroin the spirit or the invention, and restricted only by the scope of the following @lain-rs.

lllhat is elaiined is l. A vehicle signal lor roadways eoinprising aY easing adapted to be sunk in the uid me ground, a rocking inernher mounted to roel; and turn upon the upper end oi the er, a sign projecting upwardly frein the i ing` ineinher, a holt pivotally eenn-eete the lower part of the rocking ineinuer., a spring on 'the holt, an adjust ng nut on the holt engagingI the lower end el: the spri e', a Washer looselyY surrounding the upper pa l of the holtand seated upon the wiper end of the sprl g, and stops independent el the washer projecting inwardly from th)l easing to engage the washer and hold the saine troni pulling up\vz.ldly through 'the oas ivi.

Q. A vehicle signal lor roadways eoinpru ing aeasing, a rocking znen'lher n'iourdied to rook in the upper end of the easin trunnions at opposite sides oit the r ig un, nher, said vlrunnions having lint laces Vto seatl ou the upper edge or the easing, a signal projecting upwardly lfroin `said roehing nreniher, and 'tension means pimta'y eenneeted to the lower end of the roehing ineinler to turn therewith, am to yieldingly hold the trunnion against the upper edge of 'the easing.

A vehicle signal lor roadways eon'ipris ing a easing` a hall seated in the upper end ol? the easing and provided at opposite sides with trunnions having flat iiaees to seat against the upper edge of the easing, a holt piro-tally Connected to the lower part olf the hall, a spring surrounding the holt, a dish loosely surrounding the holt and hearing against the upper end ol the spring, stopsl projecting inwardly from vthe to engage the upper surface of the dish, an adj stable nut on the lower end ol the holt hearing against the spring to draw the holt dowmvardly through the disk, and a sign extending upwardly frein the hall.

il. A vehicle signal Comprising a easing adapted to he sunk in a roadway, an anrhoring plate threaded upon the low r end ol the easing to pei-init removal olt the easing without removingA the. anehoring plate, a hall litting in the top oit the easing and having trunnions at opposite sides adapted to roel; on and slide about the upper edge el the easing, a holt pivotally Connected to the lower part of' the hall, spring on the bolt, an adjusting nut on the holt engaging the lower end olf the spring, a washer loosely surrounding the upper part of the holtand seated upon the upper end of the spring, and stops independent of the washer proieeting inwardly from the easing 'to engage the washer and hold the saine ifrorn pulling upwardly through the easing. 

